How do I stop my investment in PPF?

I have have been investing Rs 2,000 per month in Public Provident Fund (PPF) account from July 2012 via SBI. I have around Rs 1,08,092 in the account. Now, I want to discontinue the account, as there are other tax saving avenues better than this. a) How can I stop my monthly installment? b) When can I get the amount back?
- Ajith N

You cannot discontinue a Public Provident Fund (PPF) account. You have to deposit a minimum of Rs 500 in a PPF account in a financial year. If you fail to make this yearly payment, a penalty of Rs 50 would be levied each year, along with arrears of Rs 500 for each missed year till the maturity. You can close your PPF account on maturity after the completion of 15 financial years. However, you can make partial withdrawals from the PPF after six years.

This article was originally published on April 28, 2016.